Five-year-old James Parascos spent his birthday walking around the lake with his parents yesterday, but like most Canberrans he has never jumped into its murky, carp-infested depths.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The polluted waterway is set to get some much needed help thanks to a $60 million rescue plan announced today, which will never make it "pristine" but might at least lure some swimmers back to the pontoons once fairly popular on hot weekends.
According to the Royal Life Saving Society, which launched its Swim and Survive program today, fewer than 20 per cent of Canberra kids in school years 3-6 swam in any lake last year, and a similarly small number have taken a dip in a river.
The lack of safe, clean natural waterways is one of several factors the society blames for only 39 per cent of upper primary school children being able to swim 50 metres.
RLSS ACT director Sean Hodges hoped the new lake plan, which will involve measures such as the first proper carp eradication program, would return the lake to swimming standard.
"We'd love to run lifesaving programs at the lake, but we don't have the opportunity at the moment. We think our lakes, and especially Lake Burley Griffin, could play a really important role in getting Canberrans out and swimming safely.
"It'd be fantastic one day if our lake was clean enough again."
The news that something would be done to try and rid the lake of its carp and its infamous green algae sludge was welcomed by the Parascos family; parents Danny and Tanya and children James and two-year-old Rhyse.
"We've been down to Lake Tuggeranong and thrown a line in for some fishing, but if we were told [Lake Burley Griffin] was all safe and clean, we'd be there splashing around in it for sure," Mr Parascos said.
Despite being landlocked, Canberra's primary school children are slightly more likely to meet the minimum benchmark than other states.
But Mr Hodges said only 39 per cent being able to swim 50m was far from a figure to celebrate.
"We need to do more to help kids achieve that minimum benchmark. From research, we know that if they don't learn to swim by the time they leave primary school, the chances of them learning later in life are pretty remote."
According to Mr Hodges, there is a huge disparity between the standards of children at government and non-government schools.
Only 28 per cent of government primary students met the 50m benchmark compared with 78 per cent in non-government schools.
Mr Hodges said strong, compulsory programs at most non-government schools played a part as did some socio-economic factors.
"In areas which are low socio-economic, the kids tend to have a lot less swimming ability. When you think about the cost of $150-200 for 10 swimming lessons, it's a big factor."
